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9
Circular L.H.A.L. 17/71 enclosed a copy of a paper prepared by the
Department of Health and Social Security in consultation with the
Standing Medical and Nursing Advisory Committee and Central Health
Service Council dealing with the planning and consultation with local
authorities of a hospital service for children including the comprehensive
assessment of those who were mentally and physically handicapped.
Particular emphasis was made in both papers of the need for close liaison
and also the need for a firm arrangement for the transfer of information
from hospital not only to general practitioners but also to medical officers
of health and, where appropriate, to Directors of Social Services about
children who need their services. As outlined in previous reports, this
department has made and continues to make every effort to foster liaison
schemes with the Paediatric Departments of the local district hospitals.
Circular 36/71 on Family Planning outlined the Government's views
on the need for family planning and their proposal to encourage the
growth of local authority family planning including domiciliary service.
The Secretary of State stressed that advice and examination should be
free in all cases, that prescriptions and supplies should be free in medical
cases but that a charge could properly be made for prescriptions and
supplies in non-medical cases at the discretion of the authority. Appropriate
action was taken to amend the Council's policy in regard to family
planning services from 1st November, 1971 so that all patients now
receive free advice and all medical and social cases free supplies also.
Pursuant to Circular 42/71, the Health Committee considered their
capital building programme for the years 1972 to 1975 and agreed in
principle to the establishment of a Health Centre in Stanmore and
authorised the officers to enter into negotiations with the Middlesex
Executive Council in regard to the proposal. At the same time, the
Committee considered a preliminary list showing various parts of the
Borough where sites might with advantage be earmarked for future
health centre development. The Committee decided to set up a working
party to consider these proposals in more detail in order that a firm
recommendation could be made to the Council in respect of site acquisition
for the future.
Other circulars issued during the year dealt with a variety of topics
ranging from changes in the recommendations relating to vaccination
against smallpox (CMO.12/71), prophylactic vaccination against rabies
(55/71), the recall arrangement for Cervical Cytology (LHAL.33/71),
a long term national surveillance to determine the effect of rubella vaccine
on the incidence of congenital rubella defects (CMO. 7/71) to a circular
on smoking and health, in which the Secretary of State drew attention to
a report issued by the Royal College of Physicians entitled "Smoking
and Health Now". He hoped that authorities would complement and
support the Health Education Council by giving the maximum of publicity
to the dangers of smoking. Fuller details on and action taken as a result
of these circulars are incorporated in the main report.